How to Use prodigal in a Sentence

prodigal

adjective
  • Jack, the prodigal son, is home after two decades away and a long stint in prison.
    — Heather Hansman, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2022
  • But then there is Greece, which may serve as a model of a prodigal nation.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2018
  • Zel wields free car music like the prodigal son who was once raised a purist—the punch-ins are beyond sharp.
    — Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
  • That prompted headlines about the return of the prodigal son.
    — Victor Mather, New York Times, 11 May 2020
  • Rather than focus on the younger son, the prodigal son, Keller turns the story around.
    — Scott Burns, Dallas News, 18 Dec. 2020
  • One of them remembered me from a long-ago visit and greeted me like the prodigal son.
    — Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Apr. 2023
  • Join me on my prodigal daughter character arc.
    — Gaby Iori january 27, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
  • His prodigal firstborn son has risen as heir to his religious empire.
    — Elizabeth Dias, Time, 1 Mar. 2018
  • The prodigal player has returned.
    — John Davis, Daily News, 9 May 2026
  • That day, Cox donned a Braves uniform and seemed like nothing so much as a prodigal son come home.
    — Mark Bradley For The Ajc, AJC.com, 9 May 2026
  • Two books about different churches and their prodigal daughters coming out in the same year.
    — Seija Rankin, EW.com, 2 June 2021
  • As in a film montage, our prodigal taquero hero will go off, train and perfect his craft, and come back stronger than ever.
    — Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Aug. 2022
  • In his view, the novel recasts the biblical story of the prodigal son.
    — M.j. Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Nov. 2022
  • In Sweden, summer is embraced like the return of a prodigal son.
    — Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2023
  • In his own way, prodigal Harry has always been a more easy-going son than William.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The prodigal son comes back to the tolerant and multi-cultural fold.
    — Ira Bedzow, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2021
  • Refusing to grow bitter or give up hope that someday my brother will return like the prodigal son.
    — Jamie Quatro, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
  • The prodigal son had returned to visit the responsible brother who stayed to help.
    — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 10 Dec. 2019
  • Boughton has eight children, but Jack is his prodigal son, and the two pastors have spent much of their friendship puzzling over him.
    — Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2020
  • The reception will be louder for the return of the prodigal Sonny.
    — Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 23 Sep. 2022
  • Last August, Hamilton offered its prodigal son the key to the city and named a street in his honor.
    — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
  • If someone would just send me a weekly cutdown that ditched the rest of the show, this prodigal critic might be convinced to return and watch more.
    — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Sep. 2019
  • Seeing his mom after all these years, is an understandable desire — not that the visit goes the way this prodigal son hoped.
    — Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 14 July 2022
  • In recent years, the prodigal spenders at the big Hollywood movies studios were always good for a zero-hour buy.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • And maybe, for that offense, and for so many other protests, the Embassy would refuse to help Daria, its prodigal daughter.
    — Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
  • What were relatives and neighbors are now forced to perform; the prodigal son has little time for their actual lives and struggles.
    — Yasmine Seale, Harpers Magazine, 5 Jan. 2021
  • Even if the pandemic were to revive the religious impulse, would-be prodigal sons won’t be able to attend services.
    — Matthew Continetti, National Review, 21 Mar. 2020
  • When the Giants reached out, Sandoval jumped at the chance to return home, a prodigal son chastened over his misdeeds.
    — Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 29 June 2018
  • For the most part, though, the Ganton clan is worn out, sharpened by tragedy, and disinclined to pamper their prodigal daughter.
    — Rebekah Denn, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Feb. 2021
  • Olivier Giroud played the role of Pélé, slipping the ball into the path of the prodigal son who was careering down the right flank.
    — SI.com, 4 Nov. 2019

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prodigal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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